Duplicating apparatus



Nov. 1.9, -1957 E. J. JANKE DUPLICATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 18, 1954 lill' INVENTOR. fou/A190 I JA Ivm:`

Nov. 19, 1957 E. J. JANKE 2,813,716

DUPLICATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1a. Z

BY @da @au r 727 @w1 Nov, 19, 1957 E. J. JANKE 2,813,716

DUPLCATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 1954 5 sheets-sheet s BY Y 2-9 du/@ Hrraeaerf Filed Feb. 18,. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 JNVENToR. FDM/A 60 .7.' JA /v/E Nov. 19, 1957 E. J. JANKE DUPLICATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 18, 1954 M am N 1MM W i .w M a fw. m .www

United States Patent 3 Claims. (Cl. 271-26) This invention relates to improvements in or relating to printing or duplicating machines, and is espec1a1ly concerned with improvements in a mechanism to separate sheets one at a time from a stack of sheets and forward such separated sheets to a printing or duplicating mechanism at a relatively high rate of speed and in timed relationship therewith. These, therefore, are the general objections of the present invention.

According to the invention there is provided, a support for a stack of sheets including a platform which is periodically raised to maintain the uppermost sheet in the stack substantially at a predetermined elevation. A suction mechanism is provided to separate the top sheet from the stack by moving it first upward and then forward to a sheet forwarding mechanism which forwards the separated sheet to a printing or duplicating mechanism. The elevation of the stack is automatic and is controlled by a feeler which, when the top of the stack reaches a predetermined lower limit, unlatches a feeding mechanism to return the stack to the desired level. The various movements of the stack raising mechanism and the suction sheet separating mechanism are operated and/or controlled by a series of cams carried by a common sleeve or spindle which is driven from and in timed relation with the printing mechanism. The cams and the linkage connecting them with their respective mechanisms are arranged and positioned to facilitate the operation of the mechanisms at a high rate of speed.

Various advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent from the following description, reference being made to a preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The essential features of the invention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a duplicating mechanism embodying the present invention, certain parts being broken away to more clearly illustrate a portion of the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the left hand portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1, and illustrates the sheet separating and forwarding mechanisms with their side cover plates removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the sheet separating and feeding mechanism, the plane of the section being indicated by the lines 33 0n Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 in a view similar to Fig. 4, illustrating certain of the parts in a different position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating the control for the mechanism which maintains the uppermost sheet of the stack at a substantially constant elevation, the plane of the lsection being indicated by the lines 6--6 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the control mechanism of Fig. 6 as viewed from the opposite direction, the

y 2 plane ofthe section being indicated by the lines 7-7 on Fig. 2; and

Fig.` 8 is a sectional detail of a mechanism tojimtially position the paper support. The plane of the section being indicated by the lines 8-8 on Fig. 4.`

The machine as illustrated in Fig. 1 is mounted in a cabinet ltype frame 10 which is provided withdoors 11 to permit access to the interior thereof. VA printing 0r duplicating mechanism 12 is mounted on top of the cabinet 10 and at the right hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 1. A stack or pile support 14 is mounted at the opposite end of the cabinet, and supports a stack of sheets W which are to be fed, one at a time, to the printing or duplicating mechanism. On top 0f the cabinet, above the pile or`stack support, there is a suction sheet separating device 15 which acts to separate the top sheet from the stack and progress it to a sheet forwarding mechanism which is interposed between the separating device and the printing or duplicating mechanism.

The printing mechanism, indicated at 12 in Fig. 1, includes a pair of spaced side plates or frame members one of which is shown at 17 and which are supported by cross frame members 18 of the cabinet 10. A platen roll 21, an offset roll 22, and a pattern roll 23, arev journalled between the side frame plates 17. Suitable ink and repellant applicator mechanisms, not shown 4are mounted between the frame plates 17 and are arranged to supply the pattern roll with repellant and ink in the usual manner. An electric motor 19 is mounted on a bracket 20 disposed within the cabinet 10 and is connected with the offset roll 22 by suitable driving elements such as, for instance, belts, pulleys and gears generally indicated a 24, one of the gears 24 being drivingly secured to` the offset roll 22. The pattern roll 23, and the platen roll 21 may be geared to the oifset roll or they may be driven by frictional engagement therewith.

The sheets W to be imprinted are placed in a vertically extending pile or stack on the paper support 14. This support includes a table or platform 25 on which the stack of sheets rests. This table is slidably mounted for vertical movement in the cabinet 10 and isY raised automatically at periodic intervals to maintain the uppermost sheet in the stack substantially in a predetermined horizontal plane where it may be conveniently engaged by the sheet separating mechanism 15, hereinafter to be more fully described, and which serves to lift the top sheet from the stack Iand forward it to a sheet advancing mechanism.

Each side of the paper table 25 is provided with a side flange 26 carrying a pair of vertically spaced rollers 27 which project outwardly from their respective flanges and enter inwardly facing verticallyy extending channels 28 carried by respective sides of the cabinet frame 10. The table or platform 25 is illustrated as being counterbalanced by counterweights 32, one of which is shown in Fig. 3. Each counterweight is attached to one end of a respective chain 29 which extends upward to a sprocket Wheel 31 iand thence around such wheel and downwardly and is attached, as at 30,.to the respective side flange 26 of the table. The arrangement is such that the table 25 always tends to move downward in its guideways, but at the same time maybe readily raised with a minimum amount of power or effort. The sprocket wheels 31 are drivingly mounted on across shaft 33 which is journaled in spaced side frame plates 50 of the separating mechanism 15. Theshaft 33 extends through the near side plate 50 and ratchet Wheel 34 is secured to its kouter end. This ratchet wheel is engaged by a spring-pressed detent pawl 38, which normally coacts with the ratchet wheel 34 to restrain downward movement of the table and retain it in an adjusted position, andby a spring pressed advancingpawl 39.

A manually operated knob or hand wheel 35, Fig. 8, is provided to initially position the table 25 so that it may receive a stack of sheets as well as to move the table to initially bring the top of the stack to the desired initial elevation. This hand wheel is axially slidable on the shaft 33 and is provided with a pin and slot driving connection 36. The arrangement is such that inward movement of the hand wheel 35 causes it to engage outwardly projecting lips 37 formed on the detent and driving pawls 38 and 39, and cam such pawls out `of engagement with the ratchet wheel 34 thus freeing the shaft for manual rotation. A spring 48 tends to maintain the knob in its outermost position.

The paper table 25 is periodically raised by power operated mechanism, the electiveness of which is responsiveto the height of the top sheet in the stack. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 a bail-like member 40 is pivotally mounted as at 64 between the side plates 50. This bail carries a pair of adjustable feelers 47 which project forwardly to a position where they may engagethe uppermost sheet of the stack adjacent a suction sheet separating Afoot 110, hereinafter to be more fully described. To permit withdrawal of the top sheet from the stack, the "feeler fingers 47 are periodically moved out of contact with the stack by a linkage mechanism actuated by a timing cam under control of the printing mechanism. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the duplicating or printing Amechanism 12 is provided with a cam 41 which is secured to and is rotated by the offset drum or roll 22. This cam coacts with a roller 42 carried by one end of the lever 43 which is pivoted to the near side frame 17 of the printing mechanism as at 44. The other end of this lever is pivotally connected with a driving bar or link 45 which extends rearward toward the separating mechanism 15. A spring 46 is interconnected between the bar 45 and the frame 17 and acts to retain the cam roller 42 against the earn 41. The other end of the bar 45 is pivotally connected as at 49 with a main driving cam 51 of the separating mechanism. This cam is secured to a sleeve 53 rotatably mounted on a stud 52 which is secured to the near side frame plate 50.

The b'ail 40 is periodically oscillated to lift the feelers out of contact with-the top sheet of the stack bya cam 55 (Figs. 6-and 7). The cam 55 is drivingly seeuredto the sleeve 53 and coacts with a roller 56 carried by a lever 57 which is secured to a pin 58 journaled in the near frame plate 50. A second lever 59 is securedr tothe pin 58 and is connected by alink 60 witha bracket 61 which is pivoted on one of the bail pivots 64. One arm 63'of this bracket overlies a lip 67 which is carried by the bail 40. A tension spring 65 is interconnected between this arm 63 andthe bail 40.

When the height of the stack of sheets W drops below a predetermined elevation of feelers 47, which are attached tothe bail 40, permit the bracket 61 to move to its maximum clockwise position under the inuence of a spring 66 (Fig. 6) which is connected between the roller lever 57 and the frame plate 50. At this time a link 68, one end of which is connected with thebraeket 61 as at 69, moves downward. This link has a pin and slot connection 70 with a latch member 72 whichis pivotally mounted on the frame 50 as at 73. As the-link 68 moves downward it swings the latch member counterclockwise (Fig. 6) and moves its outermost end out of latching engagement with a bracket 7S (Fig 5). This bracket is pivotally mounted on the ratchet shaft 33 and carries the driving pawl 39. When the latch Y7.2 disengages the bracket, a spring 77 interposed between the bracket 75 and the frame 50, rocks the bracket 75 ina couterclockwise direction causing the pawl 39 to move in a counterclockwise direction relative to the ratchet wheel 34, movement of which is constrained by the -detent pawl 38. The counterclockwise movement of the bracket 75 is limited by a pin 76 which projects` outward from the near frame plate Sil-into the path` of the bracket.

The pawl bracket is moved in a clockwise or table raising direction by the power operated bai 45. As illustrated, a slotted lever 80 is pivotally connected as at 81 with one arm 82 of a bell crank which is pivotally connected as at 84 to the near frame plate 50. The other arm 85 of this bell crank is connected by a link 86 with the main driving cam 531. Accordingly, the bracket 75 will be swung in a clockwise direction and its pawl 39 will advance the ratchet wheel 34 consequent upon the rearward or left hand movement (Fig. 5) of the driving bar 45. The advancement of the ratchet wheel 34 will be repeated on succeeding cycles of operation of the bar 45 as long at theelevation of the stack W is below the predetermined elevation. However, as soon as the uppermost sheet in the stack reaches the desired elevation, the feeler 47, through the bracket 61 and its associated linkage, will permit a spring 87 to move the latch member 72 into Iatching engagement with the bracket 75. Continued movement of the cam 51 will have no effect upon the ratchet mechanism due to the pin and slot connection between the bracket 75 and the lever 80.

The uppermost sheet W in the stack is separated from the stack and forwarded to a pair of coacting feed rolls and 101 by a suction foot 110. This foot is positioned above the forward end of the stack of sheets W and is first lowered into contact with uppermost sheet, suction thenis applied -to draw such sheet into contact with the lower face of the foot, whereupon the foot is raised to lift such sheet from the stack and is then moved forward to insert lthe sheet in the bite of the feed rolls 100 and 101. As the sheet is inserted in such bite, the suction is relieved to lfree the sheet so that the feed rolls may advance the sheet toward the printing mechanism. The suction foot is then returned to its initial position relative to the stack and the cycle of operation repeated to feed the next sheet.

The suction foot is adjustably secured to a rod 111 by a clamping screw 112, relative rotation between the rod and foot being prevented by a key 113. The lower end of the footis open and is in 'communication with aV passagewayextending upward through the 'foot to a flexible conduit 114 which connects the foot with a vacuum pump 109 as will be hereinafter more fully described.

TheV suction foot 110 is actuated in timed relation with the printing mechanism'by the cam 51. Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 it will be seen that the rod 111 carrying the suction foot,extends between and is journaled in the forward ends vof-a pair of arms 115. The opposed ends of these are secured to a cross shaft 116 which is r'otatably mounted in the side frame plates 50 and which extends outward beyond the near frame plate. A lever 117 is secured to the outer end of this shaft and carries a roller 118 which is retained in contact with the periphery of the cam Sl'by a spring 119 (Fig. 4). The cam 51 is so constructed that, during the first part of its clockwise movement from the position shown in Fig. 5 toward the position shown in Fig. 4, the roller coacts with an eccentric's'urface 120 of the cam which acts to rock the lever 117, the arms and the suctionfoot 110 counterclockwise about the axis of the shaft 116 thereby moving the suction foot 110 upward away from the top of the stack. Further movement of the cam 51 in a'clockwise direction has no eifect on the foot supporting arms 115 as it brings a concentric surface 121 thereof int'o engagement with the roller. Suction is applied'to the foot 110 during the major portion of said clockwise movement-of the cam `r51 and during such portion the roller 118`is retained in contact with the cam by an overhangingarm 122 of the cam. This prevents overthrow of the roller and accurately controls the upward lmovement of the foot to enable the foot to be operated -at relatively high rates of speed. The roller 118 is -disengagedby' the cam arm 122 before the cam reaclie'sthe end of the stroke to permit the suction foot to` be manually'disabled without interrupting the operation of the stack raising mechanism, the sheet forwarding mechanism or the printing mechanism and without interrupting the timed relation of the various mechanisms one to the other.

After the suction foot 110 has been raised to lift the top sheet from the stack, the lower end of the foot is moved toward the bite of the feed rolls 100 and 101 by a cam 130. This cam is secured to the sleeve 53 which supports the main cam 51, and coacts with a roller 131 carried by a lever 132 secured to the near end of the foot supporting rod 111, which for this purpose extends freely through a slotted opening 133 in the near frame plate 50. A spring 135 interposed between the lever 132 and the outer end of the lever 117 retains the roller 131 in contact with the periphery of its cam 130. The cam 130 is so formed that the foot supporting rod 1-11 rocks as the arms 115 swing counterclockwise to cause the foot to raise bodily in a vertical direction without any appreciable swinging movement. However, when the foot has been raised the desired distance the cam 130, through its roller 131 and lever 132, rocks the rod 111 and the suction foot 110 in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of the rod 111 thus moving the sheet carried by the foot 110 into the bite of the feed rolls 100 and 101. The cam 130 retains the foot in such position until the feed rolls have withdrawn the sheet from the path of the return movement of the foot. The connection between the cam 51 and the stack raising bracket member 75 is such that the stack raising operation always occurs during this idle or return movement of the suction foot 110.

The application of suction to the foot 110 is controlled by the cam 51. For this purpose, a valve 140 is interposed in the suction line 114. I'his valve is secured to the frame in any suitable manner and includes a vent passageway 141 (Fig. 4) which, when open, releases the vacuum in the line 114 before it reaches the suction foot 110. This vent is opened and closed by a valve member 142 mounted on one end of a lever 143 which is pivoted to the valve 140 as at 144. A spring 145 is interconnected between the lever 143 and the near frame plate 50 and normally acts to move the valve member 142 toward a closed position in which suction is applied to the foot 110.

The suction line valve 140 is controlled by the cam 51. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the bell crank arm 82 heretofore described is pivotally connected as at 81 with one end of a bar 151, the other end of which is supported by a pin 152. This pin projects outward from the near frame plate 50 and coacts with a slot 153 formed in the bar to thereby guide a lip 154 formed on the forward end of the bar for movement to and from engagement with a threaded adjusting mem'ber 155 carried by the valve lever 143. Accordingly the application of suction to the foot 110 is under direct control of the main cam 51.

The valve 140 is provided with a second vent passage 156 which is controlled by a rotary type valve member 157 having an operating handle, which is accessible from the exterior of the machine as shown in Fig. 1 at 159. This valve may be rotated to connect the conduit 114 with atmosphere and thereby relieve suction line 114. However its main purpose is to provide a means for regulating the amount of suction to be applied to the suction foot.

The suction pump 109 also acts as a source of positive pressure and is provided with a pressure outlet which is connected by a conduit 160 with a pair of perforated tubes one of which is shown in Fig. 3 at 161. These tubes are positioned at either side of the stack W adjacent the forward end thereof and serve to direct a blast of air across the stack to assist in the separation of the sheets.

A control valve 16,5 is interposed in theconduit`stc control the pressure of the blasts. IIhis valve is mounted in the same body as the valve 140, heretofore mentioned, and is provided with a vent passageway 166. A valve member carried by a stem 168 adjustably controls the ilow of air through the vent passageway 166 and thereby regulates the force of the air blasts. The valve stem 168 projects through ther coverplate and, as indicated in Fig. 1, is provided with an operating handle or knob 169.

The feed rolls 100 and 101 feed the separated sheets to a sheet forwarding device comprising a series of endless tapes 170 which advance the sheets to the printing mechanism. These tapes are looped about a pair of longitudinally spaced rollers 171 and 172. The roller 171 is journaled in the frame plates 50 of the separating mechanism and the rollers 172 are journaled in the frame plates 17 of the printing mechanism. The feed roller 101 as well as the tape rollers 171'and 172 are driven by the printing machine motors through suitable transmission mechanism including gearing 175 and suitable driving belts (not shown).

I claim:

1. In a sheet feeding mechanism, a frame, a support for a stack of sheets, a pair of feed rolls mounted in said frame, a sheet separating foot adapted to engage the top sheet in the stack, a bar extending across said stack and on which said foot is secured, a shaft journaled in said frame, a pair of spaced arms, each arm being secured at one end to said shaft and rotatably supporting said bar at their other ends, a third arm secured to said shaft, a roller mounted on said last lnamed arm, a cam mounted on said frame for oscillation about a fixed axis and having a surface to engage said roller and oscillate said shaft consequent upon oscillation of said arm, a lever secured to said bar, a second cam secured to said rst named cam and movable therewith, a roller mounted on said last named lever, said second cam having a surface to coact with said roller to rock the bar in said rst named arms, and rigid means to retain said rst named roller in contact with its cam as long as either cam is active to move their respective levers and to permit movement of said roller from said cam at a period during the movement of the cam when it is inactive relative to its respective levers.

2. In a sheet separator for a rotary printing machine, a frame, a pair of feed rolls, a support for a stack of sheets to be fed one at a time to said rolls, a sheet separator, a roller mounted for bodily movement with said separator, a member pivoted at one end relative to said frame and pivotally supporting the sheet separator at its other end, a second roller carried by said member, a shaft journaled in said frame, a cam secured to said shaft, means adapted to interconnect said cam with a printing machine to oscillate said cam in timed relation therewith, said cam having a peripherial surface cooperating with said last named roller to swing said member relative to said frame during the first portion of its oscillation in one direction to thereby raise said separator relative to said stack, and a second surface so formed that continued movement of the cam in such direction has no eifect upon said member, a second cam secured to said shaft and having a cam surface to coact with said rst named roller during the first portion of said continued movement to swing the separator about its pivotal connection with said member and toward the bite of said feed rolls, resilient means tending to retain said rollers in engagement with their respective cams, and means to prevent movement of said second roller away from its cam as long as either cam is active to move its respective roller and to permit manual movement of said rollers away from their cams when both rollers engage ineffective portions of their respective cams.

3. A sheet separator according to claim 2 wherein said last named means comprises an arm formed integral UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,393,614 Curtis Ian. 29, -1946 1,762,661 L'ow .f June 10, 1930 

